Friday, May 29, 2015

For the last post about this book I wanted to share the above illustration about "space war". This is one of the few I have found that pictured the military rational for going to the Moon. The U.S. was deep in the Cold War and the thought that whoever got to the Moon fist might dominate the Earth was consistently put forward as a reason to undertake the huge expense.

The second set of illustrations to share is this diagram of the building of a spherical space station. By publishing these fantastic engineering style illustrations it strongly suggests that going to space was simply a matter of will and money.

Friday, May 22, 2015

The Mystery of Other Worlds Revealed. Eisinger, Larry (editor)New York: Fawcett Publications, 1952. 144 p. 24 cm. Fawcett Book no. 166. Also 1953 hardcover.Back when space flight was new and exciting there were "special issue" books that people might buy at the news-stand to learn about something current. This was not published for children but I am sure with its variety of subjects and great pictures that many children read it after "their" adult had long tired of it. I want to share just a few of the many neat illustrations in this "book"

A large paperback, featuring articles on Space Travel, Flying Saucers and Rocket Development, and heavily illustrated throughout, This will be an additional post but I will start with the designs of the British Interplanetary Society.The British Interplanetary Society (BIS), founded in Liverpool in 1933 by Philip E. Cleator, is the oldest space advocacy organisation in the world. Its aim is exclusively to support and promote astronautics and space exploration. In the 1950s they shared some wonderful designs for their visions of the future of space travel.

Friday, May 15, 2015

A Russian book about life in the future and technology. Probably not for children but I enjoy these futuristic images so much.Over the edge of the 20th century. Leningrad. 17.6 x 22.1 cm (6.9" x 8.7") 222 pages. 1962

Many of these illustrations seem familiar but I appreciate the "archetypal" nature of the soviet visions of the future. Shapes of rockets, use of helicopters, streamlined cars, etc.

I also like the buildings and other future technology. As near as I can tell the one below compares how computers used to take up buildings and now take up only a single room.

LOOK AT THAT CORN!!!

To finish out here are some nice space illustrations about the Soviet current successful missions and future plans for space.

While some people feel uncomfortable about animals in space, I like that children were told that the way people knew it was safe was because animals did it first (and yes I know it doesn't discuss the ultimate fate of these early explorers)